Uncoupling device for car-couplings.



H.G.BUHOUP. UNGOUPLING DEVICE FOR GAB COUPLINGS. APPLICATION- rILnn21:11.25, 1911.

1 ,02 ,9 1 3 Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. u. c.

H ARRY G. BUH-OUP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

' unoocrLrncrnvron FOR CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 25, 1911.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912. Serial No. 610,841.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, HARRY C. BUHo P a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Uncoupling Devices forCar-Couplers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the construction of uncoupling devices formanipulating the lock of a car coupler, and has for its object theprovision of uncoupling devices which may be either rocked or rotated toactuate the lock for uncoupling, as circumstances may dictate orrequire.

Heretofore, the common construction of uncoupling devices for actuatingcoupler locks has been one of two general forms,

viz., the flat lever having a vertical pivotal or rocking movement, andwhich could be actuated either by the foot or hand as necessityrequired, or a journaled rod having a rotary movement on its axis, andwhich could only be conveniently operated by the hand and from theground. Each of these forms of uncoupling devices has its own peculiaradvantages both mechanically and operatively, and the combinedadvantagesof both forms I seek to obtain by my improved construction. e

In carrying out my invention I combine with an uncoupling lever, abearing member mounted on and movable with the uncoupling lever topermit said lever to rotate on its longitudinal axis and also to rotateon an independent axis disposed at an angle to its longitudinal axis,and such a construction embodies the main feature of my invention.

A second feature of my invention em-' braces the combination with a carcoupler,

of a lever, one end of which is bent at an angle to the main portionofsaid lever so as to project into the plane of the lock of the coupler,and a bearing for said lever comprised of a rotatable block with whichthe lever is connected so as to have a rock.-

ing movement, whereby said lever may be either rocked or rotated asdesired.

There are other, minor, features of invention residing in particularcombinations and certain elemental constructions, all as willhereinafter more fully appear.

In the drawings chosen for the purpose of illustrating my invention, thescope where- 7 of 1s pointed out in the claims, .Figure'lis a planviewof uncoupling devices embodying my invention shown in connectionwith the end of a car, and with a coupler; Fig. 2 is a front elevationof the uncoupling devices shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view of thebearing for the uncoupling lever showing the connection of the bearingwith the car and with the uncoupling lever; Fig. 1 is a horizontalsection of the bearing taken in the plane of the line 4.4, Fig. 3; Fig.5 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of bearing for theuncoupling lever,

ing being in section and the bearing block in elevation.

Likesymbols refer to like they occur.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully so that othersskilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

parts wherever In the drawings, A'indicates the end of a able lockingpin D, the latter provided with an eye, or a clevis d for connectionwith the uncoupling lever.

In carrying out my invention I prefer to use a flat lever 1,and pivotthe same to rock vertically in a block secured to the car, which blockis journaled to rotate in a suitablebe'aringsecured to the car. Thislever 1 is bent upward and outward asat 2 so as to bring its innerportion 3 in substantially the plane of the lockof the coupler, and itsextreme inner end is bent to hook form as at 4, to loosely engage theeye or clevis in the lock in such manner as to insure :an operativeconnection between the lever and look without restricting the normalmovements of either when the coupler is in service.. The outer end ofthe lever 1 is fur nished with a flattened projection or foot pivotedknuckle O, and the vertically moy- V rest 5 which will accommodate thefoot of a person on the car when it is desired to use the lever as apedal for lifting the lock D, and this same member 5 may also beutilized when the hand is employed to rock the lever 1 and raise thelock. Pendant t'rom lever 1 below foot rest 5, is a hand-hold 6 or crankarm which will be used when the operator desires to actuate the lock Dby the rotation of lever 1.

The numeral 7 indicates the bearing block for lever 1, said bearingblock as shown in the principal figures of the drawing comprising asubstantially circular disk or block having a slot 7 in which the lever1 is secured to rock on a. suitable pivot 7 The circular block 7 isjournaled in a U-shaped bearing strap or yoke 8, secured to the car A,preferably to the underside of the car sill. To maintain the block 7 instrap or yoke 8, the block may be provided with a yoke seat or groove 7and in order to limit the rotation of the block 7 one end of the pivotpin 7* may project into a slot 8 in the yoke or strap 8. It will benoted that by reason of the foregoing construction of the bearing forthe lever 1, said lever can be given either a rocking or a rotarymovement to actuate the coupler lock.

In Figs. 5 and 6 the same movements of lever 1 are obtained by means ofa pivot pin 9 to which the lever 1 is rigidly attached, the pivot pin 9having a rocking movement in a circumscribed bearing 10 at one side of ayoke 10, and at the other side of the yoke a free bearing in anelongated slot 10 so that the pivot pin 9 may rise vertically at oneside and the lever may rock vertically in the yoke 10, or if desired maybe rotated on the substantially stepped bearing 10 In Figs. 7 and 8 ofthe drawing still another form of the lever bearing is shown, that is tosay, one in which the lever 1 is rigidly secured in a rectangular slotin the hemispherical block 11, said block having its bearing in a cup orshell 12 secured to the car A, and said cup or shell 12 having asubstantially circular slot for the passage of the lever 1, the diameterof such slot exceeding the width of the lever and the whole constitutinga species of universal joint which permits any required movement oflever 1.

In the leverbearing shown in the principal figures of the drawing itwill be noted that lever l rocks on its pivot, while in themodifications shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 it will be noted that thepivot rocks with the lever, and said modifications are here introducedto emphasize the fact that while some par- Conies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

ticular construction of the lever hearing may have its own structuraladvantages in the combination, yet the particular form of the bearing isnot in itself material, provided it is mounted on and movable with theuncoupling lever and permits the uncoupling lever to rotate not only onits longitudinal axis but also on an independent axis disposed at anangle to the longitudinal axis of the lever, either of which movementscan be utilized. to actuate thecoupler lock, as circumstances require.

The operation of my uncoupling devices, briefly stated, may be that ofeither of the forms of uncoupling devices in common use, according ascircumstances may require; that is to say if the lock D is to be raisedby a rocking movement of lever 1 the lever may be "rocked in its bearingby depressing the member 5 either with the foot from the car or by thehand from the ground, and if from the ground then either by rockinglever 1 as before noted, or by rotating the lever by means of the crankarm 6. By either method of operation the inner end 8 of the uncouplinglever will be raised and carry with it the lock D.

Having thus described my invention, what. I claim and desire to secureby Let ters Patent is:

1. In an uncoupling device for car couplers, the combination of anuncoupling lever, a pivot about which the lever rotates and on which itis mounted, and a pivot block for said pivot of the uncoupling lever,said pivot block being journaled on the car and constrained to turn onan axis extending in the direction of length of the rotatable uncouplinglever and transversely of the car. I

2. In an uncoupling device for car couplers, the combination of anuncoupling lever having one end bent or offset and pro vided with a hookto engage a coupler lock, and having its other end provided with a footrest for rotating the lever on one axis and with a pendant arm forrotating the lever on another axis, a pivot on which the lever ismounted, a pivot block for the uncoupling lever, and a yoke which issecured to the car and in which the pivot block is journaled to rotateon an axis extending in the direction of length of the uncoupling lever.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HARRY C. BUHOUP. VVit-nesses D. B. MAsoN, I-I. WV. STANNARD.

Washington, D. O.

